Title: Rates of Homicide, Suicide and Firearm-Related Death Among Children – 26 Industrialized Countries

Publication Date: February 1997

What does it say?

This study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention compares rates of death (per hundred thousand) of children related to guns in 26 industrialized countries. Countries considered to be industrialized were chosen according to World Bank classification based on gross national product per capita.
 
It was found that: “The overall firearm-related death rate among U.S. children aged less than 15 years was nearly 12 times higher than among children in the other 25 countries combined.” Death rates related to firearm homicide were almost 16 times higher in the U.S. than all other countries combined; firearm suicide was almost 11 times higher and unintentional firearm fatalities 9 times higher.

The report concludes that: “the United States has the highest rates of childhood homicide, suicide, and firearm related death among industrialized countries.”

How can I use it?

Use this report to challenge the myth that guns make us safer. More needs to be done to reduce easy access to guns and to ensure safe storage of guns to reduce the disproportionate numbers of child deaths in the U.S. compared to other high-income countries.

Citation

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Rates of Homicide, Suicide and Firearm-Related Death Among Children – 26 Industrialized Countries,” Morbidity Mortality Weekly Report, 46(5)(02/07/97): 101-105

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